1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display and particularly, to a liquid crystal display that may have improved light transmittance or response speed.
2. Discussion of the Background
A liquid crystal display, which is one type of flat panel display that is widely used, includes two substrates with electric field generating electrodes, such as a pixel electrode and a common electrode, and a liquid crystal layer inserted between the substrates. An electric field is generated in the liquid crystal layer by applying voltages to the electric field generating electrodes to determine the alignment of the liquid crystals in the liquid crystal layer and display images by controlling polarization of incident light.
Among liquid crystal displays, a vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display, in which the major axis of the liquid crystals is arranged perpendicular to the upper and lower substrates in the absence of an electric field, has been highlighted because it can provide a high contrast ratio and a wide viewing angle. A gap may be formed in the electric field generating electrode and/or a protrusion may be formed on the electric field generating electrode to achieve a wide viewing angle in the vertical alignment mode liquid crystal display.
Liquid crystal display including gaps include Patterned Vertical Alignment (PVA) mode liquid crystal displays, in which gaps are formed in both the upper and lower substrates, and Patternless VA mode liquid crystal displays, in which micropatterns are formed only on the lower substrate. Further, the Patternless VA mode liquid crystal displays may be advantageous because they prevent static electricity without causing misalignment.
However, even in the Patternless VA mode liquid crystal display, the light transmittance may be reduced due to textures generated where microelectrodes cross each other. Also, the response speed may be decreased due to random motions and immediate residual images may be caused by disclination.
Therefore, a liquid crystal display having improved response speed and light transmittance is desirable.